Portable bar



Nov. 29, 1955 Filed May 28, 1953 S. STiVALE PORTABLE BAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. SANTO STIVALE S. STIVALE PORTABLE BAR Nov. 29, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28, 1953 INVENTOR. SANTO STIVALE Fa M I! lllll m n 6 1 3/ 0 g4? 2 9 OZ 6 In F 0 4 L United States Patent PORTABLE BAR Santo Stivale, Palisades Park, N. J.

Application May 28, 1953, Serial No. 357,968

3 Claims. (Cl. 312290) This invention relates to furniture and more particularly to portable bars for use in the home, offices and the like.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the ap pended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate two embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a bar in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 shown in the open position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the bar shown in Fig. l with the top in a partially open position;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of a leg of the bar shown in Fig. 1 to illustrate the supporting means for the front panel;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the open position of the bar shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 77 of Fig. 6. Y

The invention is directed to a bar structure embodying an improved arrangement of elements that affords a large useful surface area when in the openposition and yet may be closed to occupy a relatively small space and at the same time provide rather substantial storage space for glasses, bottles, utensils and other devices usually used for preparing 'various types of mixed drinks. The bar is also arranged to permit the storage compartments to be kept closed while the counter parts are in an open position and additional counter area can be obtained merely by opening the storage compartments.

Another important feature of the invention resides in an improved interlock between the hinged counter portions and the front closure so that the cabinet can be quickly and easily moved to a closed position with the front panel securely engaged with cooperating cabinet parts to prevent accidental opening of the front panel with consequent damage, to the cabinet or contents thereof.

This new and improved interlock is characterized by its simplicity and effectiveness and provides a secure locking means with a minimum of operating parts that may be quickly and easily installed.

Figs..1 to v4 inclusive illustrate one embodiment of the invention which is generally of rectangular shape although it will be apparent that the novel and improved features may be embodied in bars or cabinets of other shapes. The embodiment shown herein is provided with four legs 10, 11, 12 and 13 and a lower open shelf 14 that may be omitted if desired. The legs are held in alignment by side walls 15 and 16 and a rear wall 17 that ill extend from the tops of the legs to a point spaced from the lower shelf 14. That part of the cabinet encom passed by the side Walls 15 and 16 and rear wall 17 is closed by a bottom member 18 that may be secured along the bottom edges of the walls in any suitable manner. The walls 15 to 17 inclusive may be secured to the legs 10 to 13 or the walls 15 and 16 for instance may be fabricated integrally with their associated legs and the back 17 fastened to the legs 13 and 14 by any suitable means.

Immediately above the bottom 18, is a shelf 19 that is spaced from the top of the walls 15 and 16 and extends rearwardly to a point spaced from the rear wall 17. In normal cases this space may be of the order of four to five inches to accommodate tall vessels such as bottles 20 and 21 which can be inserted through the opening and rest on the bottom shelf 18. The upper shelf 19 forms part of the counter area as will be described while the lower shelf may be used for storing glasses, utensils and the like.

The top of the cabinet 22 is formed of two parts 22a and 22b which when opened form extended counter areas as shown in Fig. 2 and which are disposed in the plane of the upper shelf 19. This is achieved by the interposition between the top 22 and the upper edges of the walls 15 and 16 extended wall parts 15' and 16'. These extended wall parts 15' and 16' are fastened to their respective top parts 22a and 22b and hinged at 23 and 23' to the corresponding walls 15 and 16. The area between the upper edge of the back 17 and the top 22 is closed by the back parts 17a and 17b carried by the top sections 22a and 22b respectively. With this arrangement the parts 22a and 22b form extended counter sections with the parts 17a and 17b forming the backs thereof.

As described above the top is closed merely by moving 0 the top parts 22a and 221) about their respective hinges 23 and 23'. The front is closed by a panel 24 extending from the lower edge of the bottom shelf 18 to the underside of the top 22. This front panel is arranged for a sliding and pivoting motion to successively expose the counter surface or shelf 19 and then provide access to the storage shelf 18. This action is attained by a pair of trunnions 25 and 26 of which trunnion 26 may be more clearly seen in Fig. 4. These trunnions are preferably placed slightly above the center of gravity of the door or panel 24 so that under normal conditions it will stay upright although under certain conditions it may be desirable to position them below the center of gravity for the purposes to be discussed.

The trunnions are carried in slots 27 and 28 in the legs 11 and 10 respectively. These slots are of a length sufficient to provide vertical motion of the panel from a closed position as shown in Fig. l to an open position as shown in Fig. 2. The lower end of each slot must however extend below the bottomedge of shelf 18 a distance of at least one half the thickness of panel 24 if the trunnions are disposed centrally thereof in order to permit the panel to be rotated about the trunnions to a horizontal position shown in Fig. 2. The panel is locked in the closed position shown in Fig. 1 by a pair of triangularly shaped stops 29 and 30 carried by the'side wall parts 15 and 16' respectively. These stops cooperate with recesses 31 and 32 in each vertical edge of the panel 24 to hold the panel in the closed position when the top parts 22a and 22b are closed. This action will be observed more clearly in Fig. 3 showing the top 22b in a partially closed position. With this arrangement, the panel 24 is held in the uppermost position while the top section 22b is closed. This brings the stop 30 into engagement with the recess 32 to secure the panel in its upper closed position. Opening the top sections 22a and 22b will of course release the panel 24 to move downwardly in its vertical position and expose the shelf 19.

v the desired result.

Alternate types of operation of the panel 24. can be secured by the manner in which the trunnions 25 and 26 are positioned relative thereto. If the trunnions are below the center of gravity of the panel then the panel upon being lowered in slots 27 and 23 will tilt forwardly about the trunnions to expose the shelf 18 as shown in Fig. 2 and stay in that position. On the other hand should the trunnions be placed above the center of gravity then, the panel 24 on being lowered to expose shelf 19, will tend to stay in the vertical position but can be moved by hand to the horizontal position to expose the shelf 18. If desired a spring catch may be used to retain the panel 24 in the horizontal position when the trunnions are above the center of gravity. it is apparent that this action can also be attained by properly weighting the panel to attain When the panel 24- is in the horizontal position shown in Fig. 2, it provides still further counter area, but does not protrude sufficiently to interfere with the use of the shelf 19 as counter area.

This embodiment of the invention provides a simple and effective bar structure that is relatively small and yet can be opened out to provide a large counter area. Furthermore it provides ample storage space for bottles, glasses and the like and the storage space can be exposed or maintained in a closed position. The interlock between the panel 24 and the top parts 22a and 22b provide a simple dependable and positive interlock so that the panel cannot he accidentally opened and damage the cabinet or contents, thereof.

An alternate embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. and 6. and forms in. effect a completely enclosed cabinet. The basic cabinet parts comprise a pair of side walls 40 and 41, a back 42 and a bottom 43. If desired the cabinet may be raised from the floor by a pair of legs 44 and 45. Within the body of the cabinet are a pair of shelves 46 and 47 with the shelf 46 extending to the rear wall 42 and the shelf 47 extending to a point spaced from the rear wall 42, in the same manner as shelf 19 of Fig. 2. This provides storage space for taller objects such as the bottles 48 shown in Fig. 6.

The top 49 of this embodiment of the invention is formed into two substantially equally divided parts. 49a and 49b which are in effect the equivalent of the top parts 22:: and 22b of Figs. 1 and 2. These top p rts are carried by side wall parts 40' and 41' hinged at 50 and 51 to the upper edges of the respective side walls 40 and 41. The space between the upper edge of the back; 42. and the top 49 is closed by the back parts 42a and 42b carried by the top parts 494; and 49b respectively;

The front panel 52 may be hinged to the side walls 40 and 41 by a pair of trunnions 53 and 54;. so that it can be moved to a closed position in alignment with the front edge of the top 49 and opened into a plane coincident with the upper surface of the shelf 47. One example of a structure for the attainment of this end is shown in Eig. 7. The shelf 47 is undercut at 55 while the door or panel 52 is undercut as shown at 56. This permits the shelf to overlap the panel as the latter is rotated about the trunnions 52 and 53 which may be carried by suitable brackets such as the bracket 57 shown in Fig. 7.

The bottom section of the cabinet is closed by a pair of doors 58 and 59 that are hinged on the front edge of the walls 40 and 41 by hinges 60 and 61. That portion of the front edgeof the walls 40 and 4-1 carrying the doors 58 and 59 are preferably recessed as shown in the figures so that the doors overlie the walls in the closed position and when opened move to a position with their inner surfaces in line with or slightly behind the forward edges of the top parts 49a and 4%. This will prevent liquids that may run over the edge of the counter or top parts 49a and 49b from getting on the doors and possibly damaging or scarring them.

In order to retain the panel 52 in a horizontal position whenv the bar is opened, a bracket 62 may be connected between the panel and the sidewall 51. One end of this bracket is pivotally connected to an L-shaped bracket 63 fastened to the panel 52 while the other end is provided with a trunnion 65 engaged in a longitudinally disposed slot 64' in a bracket 64. The panel is retained in the closed position by a pair of stops 66 and 67 carried by the wall parts 40 and 41 and cooperating with the recesses 63 and 69 respectively in the ends of the panel 52 as described in connection with the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

Both forms of the invention embody an improved arrangement of components that provide an extended counter area within a relatively small space that may be quickly and easily opened and closed with minimum of time and efiort. It; provides. a substantial amount of storage space that is readily accessible and yet which may be closed when not actually in use even though the re-. mainder of the. bar is open, In addition positiye and effectively automatic interlocking means between the cover parts and front panels prevent the front panels from being opened when thetop sections are, closed. Not only does this provide a, scour-Q. 106k: for the panel, but it; prevents access to the contents of the bar unless the top is actually opened. In this way the finished outer surfaces of the cabinet are. moved to protected positions before drinks are mixed and served so that wet glasses or other vessels cannot be accidentally placed on these outer surfaces.

While only two embodimentsof the invention have been illustrated and described, it is. apparentthat modifications or changes may be made therein withoutdeparting from the true scope and spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A bar comprising a pair of side. walls, a rear wall and a pair of top members: hinged to said side walls, a front panel having a pair of trunnions, a vertically disposed channel in the. forward edge of each side wallfor cooperating with said trunnions to secure said panel to said bar, at least two shelves one above the other between said side walls, cooperating means on said top members and said panel for holding saidpanel in a closed position when said top members are in a closed position and for releasing said panel when said. members are moved about their hinges to positions extending outwardly from said side walls, said panel. being movable vertically upon release to expose one of said shelves and rotatable'on said trunnions to. expose-the other; of said shelves.

2. A bar comprising a pair of side walls and a rear wall, a top formed of two separate sections each having side and rear wall parts to space it above said walls, hinges between said. side wall parts and said side walls for movement of the top sections from a. position overlying the side walls: tov horizontal positions. extending outwardly' from said. side walls, a front panel having a pair of trunnions, a Verti ally"disposedchannel in the forward dg of ch s d a l qrco p i g th. aid rnniqns to secure said panel. to s d b r, a t. w hel e one bo he other be ween aid. sid ll n means on said ide l. par s for hol ing said. panel. in a. los d position Whensaid ide wall parts are positioned over said bar and for releasing said panel when; moved about their hinges to positions extending outwardly from said side walls, said panel being movable vertically upon release to expose one. of said shelves and rotatable on said trunnions to exposethe other of saidshelves.

3. A bar according to claim 2 wherein said trunnions r sp s Q h rizon al. s co ncid n with. he center of gravity of said panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED, STATES PATENTS 

